ARTHUR RICHARDSON
11/03/1937 - 03/20/2024
Arthur Thomas Richardson (Art) of Houston, Texas, passed away in his home, surrounded by his loving family, on March 20, 2024 after a year and a half battle with lung cancer. He was 86 years old. Art was born in Houston, Texas on November 3, 1937 to Arthur Judson and Doris Ruth Richardson. He spent his early childhood in Texas, Mississippi and Kentucky.
As a child, Art loved playing War with his younger brother Bill. Art became a real soldier in 1955 when he joined the Marine Corps at the age of
17. Art was a proud Marine who served 4 years active duty in the prestigious 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.
After his service in the Marines, Art attended Victoria College where he met the love of his life, Alice Jo York. Art and Jo married in January of 1961 and moved to Houston, Texas. While working as a Clerk for the 164th District Court, Art became fascinated with court reporting. After attending court reporting night classes, Art obtained his license in 1965. He would go on to open his own freelance court reporting firm Richardson & Associates in 1975. In 1982 he was cofounder of United Reporting, which became one of the largest freelance court reporting firms in the Southwest. Art was a pioneer in the freelance court reporting profession and was active in local, state and national organizations. In 2015 Art cofounded TEXDRA, an association dedicated to freelance court reporters in the state of Texas. Art was highly-respected by his peers.
Art was a man of faith and a man of action. He taught ESL classes to Chinese Immigrants for 20 years at the churches he attended, helped build a church in Guadalajara, Mexico and taught Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) classes to prisoners at the Jester III Unit in Fort Bend County. Art developed life-long friends through his involvement with BSF and other, small prayer groups.
Art loved sports, particularly the Houston Astros, Houston Rockets and the Houston Oilers.
Art was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Doris Richardson, his brother Bill Richardson, and his sister Mary Lou Bourban.
Art is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jo Richardson, his sister Doris Marie, daughter Lisa Elmer (husband Mitch), son Tom Richardson (wife Rainey) and son Paul Richardson, grandchildren Jason Elmer (wife Christiana), Joshua Elmer (wife Chrissy) and Justin Elmer (wife Ryann), Paige, Ragan and Kate Richardson, great-grandchildren Titus and Avery Elmer, Emerson Martin and Asa and Shepherd Stewart.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Family Life Assembly of God located at 24911 Roesner Rd in Katy, Texas on Friday 19th at 10:30am. A Service with military honors will be held at 2:15pm at the Houston National Cemetery located at 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr. Houston, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to https://flag.church for their Missions Outreach, or to any charity of your choice. For further information please go to Katy Funeral Home at katyfh.com.